Up Close With The Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Lakers”

Like most blind box sneaker releases, the upcoming Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Draft Day” pack will have collectors crossing their fingers for a particular style. Independent of the thirteen white styles for all the teams that passed Kobe up is a breakaway pair inspired by the Lakers, the team that traded up for him. Following an early leak a couple months back, new detailed images forwarded by Jacques Slade (@kustoo) give us a far better look.

The biggest and most obvious difference is the color. The thirteen standard “Draft Day” sneakers feature white exteriors that wear away to reveal a team color underneath, but these come with a solid University Gold foundation. The midsole, tongue, and heel clip are all made to match, while the outsole injects even more character with a marbled yellow and Fierce Purple mix.

Rather than ping pong balls with a draft board number on the insoles, the “Lakers” pair opts for a Mamba sheath. The Lakers wouldn’t make an official pick in the 1996 NBA Draft until selecting Derek Fisher at #24, but they did of course trade for Kobe with Charlotte’s #14 selection by shipping off veteran center Vlade Divac.

The Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Draft Day” pack comes as a blind box release, meaning you won’t know which pair you’ve got until you have the package in-hand. The SKU info on the box will tell you what’s inside, but we’d advise going straight to opening the sealed bag so as not to ruin the surprise.

The Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Draft Day” pack releases June 26th, 2026 via Nike SNKRS for $190. See detailed images of the “Lakers” colorway below if you’re crossing your fingers for these.